1. Describe the stasis in the play: where, when, who, what, etc. in a paragraph.
The play starts with the author, Brenda Wong Aoki, narrating her childhood. She is the protagonist of the play, a multiracial young teen who becomes an adult throughout the play. She lives in the Westside in California with her family who own a pharmacy. Her childhood boyfriend, Kali, is a wild member of a Westside gang and his mother Auntie Mary is known for her stunning large roses. From the beginning to the end of the play we witness Brenda's and Kali's relationship. The narration of Brenda's childhood begins in the summer of 1966. Brenda is working in her dad's pharmacy and describes her duties and family members. Then she and Auntie Mary are together and Brenda is introduced to Kali.
2. What is the intrusion?
I found the intrusion to be when Brenda and Kali start high school because it is when Brenda and Kali begin to differentiate themselves from each other. Brenda is seen to be smart and capable of accomplishments and Kali is seen to be dumb and incapable of succeeding in life. This is shown by the classes they are both enrolled in. Brenda later realizes she does not want to be a part of Kali's life because she feels that she has potential to be someone greater. She does not want to become a pregnant housewife who feeds and cleans up after her husband.
3. What is the unique factor?
This is the day Brenda Wong Aoki decides to tell her story about her childhood and the Westside. The play is a narration told by Brenda and includes all the people who played a role in her deciding how and where to live her life.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
Will Brenda end up with Kali?
Will Kali leave his illegal occupation and start a clean new life with Brenda?
Will Kali overcome his traumatic imprisonment?
Will Brenda decide how she wants to live her life?
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
The information known to most characters is the all the things that take place in the Westside after Brenda leaves. She does not know much of everyone's situation and finds out some of the events through Sherry. The information known to only one person is the Brenda's life. Only she knows all the details of her life and all the feelings she felt. She shares many bits of this information with the readers of the play.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
I found the most theatrical moment to be the last scene of the play when Smoke's gang attack Kali. Kali then dies, and the whole scene calls attention to the action as a main character has just died. There are gun shots, which are loud and eye turning. The whole scene is very dramatic and most theatrical.
7. List some of the themes of the play.
Love, Family, Self Worth, Growing Up
8. What do the narrator want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of her getting what she wants?
Brenda wants to be more than a girl who is married to a gang member. She dates Kali during her teen years and faces the decision of leaving him to pursue her own interests. She is from the Westside which carries its own stigma of being poor and not succeeding in life. She also faces her family who want her to stay with them and remain a family. Kali is important to her and she is also really important to Kali. These situations cause Brenda to come home to the Westside several times, but eventually she does remain in San Francisco.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
The beach/ocean is mentioned by Brenda and Kali a lot throughout the play. They first hang out body surfing on the shores and build there relationship there. This is when they are young and do not have much difficulties in life. When they are older they reference their time on the beach as a time of peace, happiness, and being carefree. The roses in Auntie Mary's garden are seen as these cabbage sized beautiful red things. The roses appealed to everyone and Auntie Mary was known for them. The garden was where Kali and Brenda kissed and where Kali eventually dies. His death in the garden showed that even the massive gorgeous roses could not hide the hate and dirt of the gangs.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
The Westside gangs were seen as a family. The fact that Smoke did not rescue Kali when he was imprisoned was a major deal and impacted Kali a lot. And then when Kali caused Smoke to go to jail, that caused Smoke to want to kill Kali because he also stabbed him in the back. Because they were like family, the betrayal was even worse for the both of them. Brenda and her family are also shown in this play. Even though she has issues with her family, she returns to see them. They show that the bond of family cannot be broken no matter what families go through.
1. Describe the stasis in the play: where, when, who, what, etc. in a paragraph.
The play starts with the author, Brenda Wong Aoki, narrating her childhood. She is the protagonist of the play, a multiracial young teen who becomes an adult throughout the play. She lives in the Westside in California with her family who own a pharmacy. Her childhood boyfriend, Kali, is a wild member of a Westside gang and his mother Auntie Mary is known for her stunning large roses. From the beginning to the end of the play we witness Brenda's and Kali's relationship. The narration of Brenda's childhood begins in the summer of 1966. Brenda is working in her dad's pharmacy and describes her duties and family members. Then she and Auntie Mary are together and Brenda is introduced to Kali.
2. What is the intrusion?
I found the intrusion to be when Brenda and Kali start high school because it is when Brenda and Kali begin to differentiate themselves from each other. Brenda is seen to be smart and capable of accomplishments and Kali is seen to be dumb and incapable of succeeding in life. This is shown by the classes they are both enrolled in. Brenda later realizes she does not want to be a part of Kali's life because she feels that she has potential to be someone greater. She does not want to become a pregnant housewife who feeds and cleans up after her husband.
3. What is the unique factor?
This is the day Brenda Wong Aoki decides to tell her story about her childhood and the Westside. The play is a narration told by Brenda and includes all the people who played a role in her deciding how and where to live her life.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
Will Brenda end up with Kali?
Will Kali leave his illegal occupation and start a clean new life with Brenda?
Will Kali overcome his traumatic imprisonment?
Will Brenda decide how she wants to live her life?
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
The information known to most characters is the all the things that take place in the Westside after Brenda leaves. She does not know much of everyone's situation and finds out some of the events through Sherry. The information known to only one person is the Brenda's life. Only she knows all the details of her life and all the feelings she felt. She shares many bits of this information with the readers of the play.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
I found the most theatrical moment to be the last scene of the play when Smoke's gang attack Kali. Kali then dies, and the whole scene calls attention to the action as a main character has just died. There are gun shots, which are loud and eye turning. The whole scene is very dramatic and most theatrical.
7. List some of the themes of the play.
Love, Family, Self Worth, Growing Up
8. What do the narrator want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of her getting what she wants?
Brenda wants to be more than a girl who is married to a gang member. She dates Kali during her teen years and faces the decision of leaving him to pursue her own interests. She is from the Westside which carries its own stigma of being poor and not succeeding in life. She also faces her family who want her to stay with them and remain a family. Kali is important to her and she is also really important to Kali. These situations cause Brenda to come home to the Westside several times, but eventually she does remain in San Francisco.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
The beach/ocean is mentioned by Brenda and Kali a lot throughout the play. They first hang out body surfing on the shores and build there relationship there. This is when they are young and do not have much difficulties in life. When they are older they reference their time on the beach as a time of peace, happiness, and being carefree. The roses in Auntie Mary's garden are seen as these cabbage sized beautiful red things. The roses appealed to everyone and Auntie Mary was known for them. The garden was where Kali and Brenda kissed and where Kali eventually dies. His death in the garden showed that even the massive gorgeous roses could not hide the hate and dirt of the gangs.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
The Westside gangs were seen as a family. The fact that Smoke did not rescue Kali when he was imprisoned was a major deal and impacted Kali a lot. And then when Kali caused Smoke to go to jail, that caused Smoke to want to kill Kali because he also stabbed him in the back. Because they were like family, the betrayal was even worse for the both of them. Brenda and her family are also shown in this play. Even though she has issues with her family, she returns to see them. They show that the bond of family cannot be broken no matter what families go through.